Combined sprinkler and burner head



1967 F. H. HUTCHINiON 3,333,773

COMBINED SPRINKLER AND BURNER HEAD Filed July 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FiEQEQiCK H-Hu-rcHmsoM a mmma- ATTORNE Aug 51967 F. H. HUTCHKNSON COMBINED SPRINKLER AND BURNER HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 196E INVENTOR f FEE@EQB% HLHUTCHfiNSQN @Ewmumz.

ATTORNELE United States Patent 3,333,773 COMBINED SPRINKLER AND BURNER HEAD Frederick H. Hutchinson, 122 Lake View Drive, Auburndale, Fla. 33823 Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,714 8 Claims. (Cl. 239-289) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined sprinkler head and burner head for combined orchard sprinkling and heating systems, wherein a burner tip is mounted in the sprinkler head and serves as a valve to open and close the sprinkler outlet. The tip may be manually operable to open and close the sprinkler outlet, or may be biased to sprinkler-closed position, and open under water pressure.

This invention relates generally to sprinkler systems for orchard, or grove, care, and more particularly to sprinkler and burner heads for use with such systems.

In recent years, a system for orchard, or grove, care has come into use which employs a permanent underground pipe system with risers at predetermined locations, such, for example, as adjacent each tree in the grove. The risers have been fitted with removable sprinkler tips for use in irrigating or for spraying liquid fertilizers, and these tips can be replaced by burner tips for use in grove heating when liquid petroleum gas is pumped through the pipe lines. While this system is very satisfactory insofar as its efl ectiveness is concerned, considerable labor is required to convert the system from one use to the other as the tip at each riser has to be removed from the head and another inserted in its place.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a combined sprinkler and burner head which will not require the replacement of the tip for conversion from one use to another.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a head for the risers of pipe systems which can be adjusted for conversion for use with liquid or gas as desired.

Another object is to provide a combined head which respond automatically to the fluid being pumped through the pipe lines to convert from one type system to another.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a convertible head for grove care fluid systems which is responsive to differentials in fluid pressures in the line to automatically convert from one type head to another.

Yet another object is the provision of a burner tip having means to shield it from winds to allow burning under adverse conditions.

Still a further object is to provide a burner tip having means for controlling air flow during burning and as a closure for the air inlets when the burner is not being used.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of practical embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form part of, this specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combined sprinkler head embodying the principles of the present invention, the head being manually adjustable for conversion from one use to another;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through the head shown in FIGURE 1, the head being adjusted for use as a gas burner, and is taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the head adjusted for use as a sprinkler;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of head which will automatically convert from one use to another;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section through the sprinkler head of the convertible unit, the combined water valve and burner tip being shown in elevation and in position to act as a sprinkler;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 with the parts in position to serve as a burner; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a modified burner tip, illustrating an airflow control sleeve.

In general, the invention consists in a conventional sprinkler head with an adapter mounting a burner tip,

' and the adapter serving as a water valve which can be mounted for manual, or automatic, opening and closing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first adverting to that form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 4, there is shown a combined sprinkler and burner head 1 mounted upon the usual riser pipe 2. The head consists of a conventional sprinkler head 3 (without the usual tip), an adapter 4 and a burner tip 5.

The usual sprinkler head has a tubular body 6 with a projecting top flange 7. The body is internally threaded,

as at 8, for screwing onto the top of the riser pipe, and

the top flange has notches 9 to receive a wrench. The closed top of the body has a central outlet opening 10, and there is a bridge 11 spanning the body below the top. The bridge has a plurality of fluid openings 12 which permit fluid to flow from the riser to the top of the body and out through opening 10. The bridge has a central, threaded opening 13 which is in axial alignment with opening 10.

Adapter 4 has an upwardly opening, internally threaded, cup section 14, and a depending, externally threaded stem 15. The stem has a longitudinal bore 16 providing communication from the bottom of the stem to the cup. Stem 15 is of less diameter than cup 14, and the external surface of the adapter between the two sections is frusto-conic'al' to provide a valve 17 for seating in sealing relation in the upper end of the opening 10 in the sprinkler head. The stem is threaded into opening 13 in the bridge, and the valve member may be seated or unseated by rotating the adapter.

The burner tip 5 is of more or less standard construction, being a hollow tubular member 18 with a threaded stud 19 at the bottom for connection within the cup 14 of the adapter and having a slotted cap 20 at the top. Openings'21 provide for entry of a primary air supply for combustion. The openings 21 will also serve as drainage openings if water gets into the burner tip. The tip differs from conventional ones in providing a relatively large flat shield 20' mounted on the member 18 just below the cap 20. The shield encircles the tip and forms an effective windbreak which will prevent the burner from being extinguished by winds which would normally make it impossible to keep the burners lighted.

In setting up the unit for use, the three elements are threaded together, that is, the adapter is screwed into the opening in the bridge of the sprinkler head until the valve portion 17 seats upon the top edge of opening 10, and the tip is screwed tightly into the cup of the adapter. With the parts in this condition the unit is ready for use as a burner. If gas is introduced into the pipe system, it will flow into riser 2 and the body of the sprinkler head, then through bore 16 in the adapter to the burner tip. If the unit is to be used as a sprinkler, the adapter will be given a single turn to unseat the valve portion and allow water to flow out of opening 10. Thus, it is necessary only 'ings 29 and central opening 30. The only difference between the sprinkler head previously described and the present one is inthe elimination of the threads from the central opening of the bridge. 7

The adapter 23 has an internally threaded cup 31 as before, but the stem 32 is considerably longer and free 'of screw threads for much of its length adjacent the valve portion 33 between the cup and stem. The lower end, however, is threaded, as at 34. A spring 35 is placed around stem 32 below bridge 28 of the body which is held in place by washer 36 and aunt 37 threaded onthe end of stem 32. The tension of the spring can be varied by adjusting the nut, and the tension of the spring will hold the valve portion 33 of the adapter yieldably seated on the body in sealing relation with the hole 27.

Burner tip 24 is identical to the one used in the previously described form having body 38, threaded stud 39, shield 40 and slotted cap 41. The burner is attached to the adapter by screwing the stud into the adapter cup.

When a unit constructed in accordance with this modified form of the invention is assembled and in place on a riser, the valve portion 33 of the adapter will be seated in the opening 27 under the pull of spring 35, so that opening 27 will be closed. If gas, such as LP gas, is introduced into the pipe line, it will flow throughoriflce 41 of the adapter stem into the burner tip and out through 4 What is claimed is: 1. A combined sprinkler and burner head comprising, a sprinkler body having .a fluid outlet, a burner tip, an adapter in which the burner tip is mounted, the adapter having a valve portion seatable in the sprinkler body fluid outlet, and means interconnecting the adapter and sprinkler head which will permit movement of the 'valve portion of the adapter to and fromseating position in the fluid outlet. 7

2. A combined sprinkler and burner head as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the adapter is open throughout its length to provide communication between the sprinkler body and burner tip.

3. A combined sprinkler and burner head as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the means interconnecting the adapter and sprinkler body includes .a screw thread connection whereby the adapter valve portion can be moved to and from seating position in the fluid outlet by rotation of the adapter relative to the sprinkler body.

4. A combined sprinkler and burner head as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the means interconnecting the adapter and sprinkler body includes a spring interposed between the adapter and sprinkler head to bias the adapter valve portion to seating position in the fluid outlet.

5. A combined sprinkler and burner head as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the burner tip includes a body and a tip proper, and a shield about the body between the body and the tip proper.

6. A combined sprinkler and burner tip as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the burner tip has an air inlet, and there is a sleeve slidable along the burner tip and over the air inlet to control air flow into the burner tip and -to serve as a closure for the air inlet.

the burner cap slots. The gas can be ignited and will burn to provide the heat necessary to protect the tree under which it is located. The pressure of the gas is relatively low and will not unseat the valve portion of the adapter. If, however, the gas flow is discontinued and water under normal sprinkling pressure is pumped into the system, the pressure of the water on the underside of the valve portion of the adapter will be suflicient to lift the valve and open the opening 27 so that the water may spray out for irrigation purposes. If desired, liquid fertilizer can be used at times, and the structure will operate in the same manner. When the water supply is cut oil the spring will pull the valve back down upon its seat to close the sprinkler outlet 27 Thus the unit functions automatically to -provide the proper action under the influence of the relative pressures of fluids introduced in the pipe system to which it is connected.

The burner tip shown in FIGURE 8 has a body 42 and threaded stem 43 forconnection either to the adapter 4 of the first-described form of the invention or the adapter 23 of the second-described form. The air inlets 44, however, are in a cylindrical portion of the body 42 and a closure sleeve 45 is slidably mounted on the body. The sleeve will move freely along the body but will have suflicient frictional engagement with the body to hold positions of adjustment along the body. With this arrangement, the air supply to the burner can be controlled, and when the burner is not in use the sleeve can completely cover the air inlets to prevent insects from entering the gas line and clogging it.

With in the above practical forms of the invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that the particular structure shown and described is merely for purposes of illustration, and the invention may take other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

7. A combined sprinkler and burner head comprising, a sprinkler body having a fluid outlet, a bridge in the sprinkler body spaced from the fluid outletand having a threaded opening therein, an adapter having a burner tipreceiving member and a threaded stem with a valve portion intermediate the tip-receiving member and stem seatable in the fluid outlet when the adapter stem is screwed into the threaded opening in the bridge, and a burner tip mounted in the adapter burner tip-receiving member, the adapter having an opening therethrough affording communication from the sprinkler body to the burner tip.

8. A combined sprinkler and burner head comprising, a sprinkler body having a fluid outlet therein, a bridge in the body spaced from the fluid outlet and having an opening therein, an adapter having a burner tip-receiving member and a stem with a valve portion intermediate the tip-receiving member and stem seatable in the fluid outlet when the adapter stem is slidably mounted in the opening in the bridge, a spring on the adapter stem to yieldingly hold the valve portion in seating position in the fluid outlet, and a burner tip mounted in the adapter, the adapter having an opening therethrough aflfordiug communication between the sprinkler body and burner tip.

V References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS M. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED SPRINKLER AND BURNER HEAD COMPRISING, A SPRINKLER BODY HAVING A FLUID OUTLET, A BURNER TIP, AN ADAPTER IN WHICH THE BURNER TIP IS MOUNTED, THE ADAPTER HAVING A VALVE PORTION SEATABLE IN THE SPRINKLER BODY FLUID OUTLET, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ADAPTER AND SPRINKLER HEAD WHICH WILL PERMIT MOVEMENT OF THE VALVE 